Wife got her endorsement a few years ago, and has been riding a 500 Blast.

She wants to move up to something a little more beefy, so she doesn't get blown around as much on the highways.

Besides the ubiquitous Honda Shadow or H-D Sportster, am looking for suggestions.

No forward leaning CR, though. She can't put weight on her wrists for extended time.

Thanks!

goldwing cruiser bike

Have you gone somewhere like Hinshaw's where they have a huge selection and just sat on them all?

I road a CBR600F in college but that was 20 years ago and I've been out of the motorcycle loop for a long time. Took my boys down to Hinshaw's on Friday just to look around and am amazed by some of the sweet bikes they make now. If the firearm private sale market wasn't so shitty right now, I'd be selling off small toys for a big toy.

My wife had a blast and loved it for about a year. When she wanted to step up we looked around and settled on a sv650 Suzuki. We never ended up with any bike due to life. It would be a great place to start, good price, very reliable, plenty of power and a good aftermarket. Good luck.

Wife rides a Ninja 250 and a 1200 Nightster. She also used to ride my Ninja 650 (like the previously mentioned SV650) sport touring so not a lot of weight on wrists. Maybe something like a Kawasaki z650 or other naked bike or cruisers

My wife has owned multiple bikes and she is 5'6 with similar preferences as yours.

If favorite to date is her BMW F700. Short seat height and great easy handling. For a cruiser she would go with the Sportster. She has riden a VStrom, Kawasaki Vulcan, Yamaha Vstar, and many others but those 2 are her recommendations.

I also say go to hinshaws and try some out in person.

These two come to mind real quick as being really low to the ground.


Honda Rebel 500
DIMENSIONS
Rake
28°0' (Caster Angle)

Trail
110mm (4.3 inches)

Wheelbase
58.7 inches

Seat Height
27.2 inches

Curb Weight
408 pounds (Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and a full tank of fuel-ready to ride)

Fuel Capacity
2.96 gallons

Miles Per Gallon
67 MPG

Read more at https://powersports.honda.com/2017/rebe ... TeBHHFD.99


2014 Honda CTX700/CTX700N
Price: $7799 (DCT/ABS: $8799)/$6999 (DCT/ABS: $7999)
Engine: Liquid-cooled, parallel-Twin, sohc, four valves per cylinder
Displacement: 670cc
Seat height: 28.3 in.
Fuel capacity: 3.3 gal.
Claimed curb weight: 494 (DCT/ABS: 516 lb.)/478 (DCT/ABS: 500 lb.)

Suzuki SV650

For just riding around the neighborhood...

How tall is said wife? Mines 5'1. This may help dictate what factory bikes will work

+1 on the SV650. I had 2, and a Vstrom (nearly identical motor). Cheap, plentiful, good aftermarket availability, and fun as hell without being insane. I have a DR650, and an FJR1300, and I still cruise CL for another SV650. Good luck!

Best thing is go to some different dealers and sit on the bikes or even take them out for test rides if allowed. Something else to consider is a lot of bikes can be lowered or you can have the seat shaved or reshaped. Both can help shorter riders. I'm a instructor for Optimum Performance Rider Training and we see a lot of riders of all heights and see what they have done or not to their bikes.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I showed her the Honda 700, her eyes lit up.

Regarding that blue mini-bike...I wedged an 80cc 4 speed into one of those once...a thrill and a deathtrap to ride all at the same time.

Thanks, all.

Factory lowered BMW GS700 or 800.
Wife sat on a lowered 700, 5'4" and she flat footed it.
Know a lady that has a factory lowered GS1200, same height as wife but weights under 100lbs, she also flats foots that bike, but she'll need help getting it back up if the bike decides to take a nap..